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We headed off from our campsite outside Ceduna relatively early this morning, making our way east on the Ayre Highway. We don't intend going too far today, probably less than 200km today. We drove through several tiny towns including Poochera, where we stopped to check out some ancient relics in a field and shed including Peter's Humpy, an old 'house' built by a recluse in the 1920s out of flattened old kerosene tins with sandbag mats on the floor and a table and chair fashioned out of kerosine boxes. The poor fellow ended up with severe asthma and ended up having to move to care in Adelaide in his later years. The house still stands today among a heap of other old farm relics including tractors, poison carts, a horse drawn cart and an old Ute.
Next we stopped in the little town of Minnipa for lunch and stopped at the local pub to ask about the road conditions to the nearby Gawler Ranges National Park.
Then we drove to a couple of nearby granite rock outcrops in the surrounding district, first to Tcharkuldu Hill with its amazing gently sloping rock leading to higher boulders perched precariously on top of each other. There is also an old empty one room hut originally built in the early 1900s as a workman's hut but it's last occupants were an aboriginal couple known as Tom and Tilly. We spent some time checking out the hut and old style bush dunny and clambered over the rocks giving us a great view of the surrounding countryside.
Then it was time to move on to our final destination for today, Pildappa Rock. We loved the sight of the large granite outcrop as we drove up, and it reminded us of Wave Rock in WA, with a huge wave-like face on one side and similar markings and colours as well.
We found a good place to get the caravan close to the rock with a toilet and free gas BBQ facilities right next to us.
We immediately climbed up the rock face and I only got a little way up before I gave up and took heaps of photos of Gadi and Cadbury who went all the way up one side and over the top. I really didn't like watching them seemingly close to the edge of the sheer cliff face, and then I really got panicked when Gadi dropped his phone case and wanted to move closer to the edge to retrieve it. I had a total panic attack and not only couldn't watch, but I physically felt ill and had to sit down. He was creeping forward calling out to me, asking if he could continue down that way, not realizing it was a sheer cliff. I was anxious for him and for Cadbury, (who was waiting just beside him) and had a complete breakdown, bursting into heaving sobs (and I have no idea why, except that I could visualize a major disaster and I felt powerless to do anything).
Gadi could see my distress and crawled back up the cliff and walked down the slope to where I was lying in a complete mess. I felt really silly for my over the top reaction, but it was totally out of my control.
We hugged and relaxed in the warm sun, lying on the rock face and chilling out.
Soon a family came wandering over the rock face from the other and we got chatting, and it turns out we met them several weeks back in Kalbarri, WA - travelling can sure be a small world! Soon we were joined by another couple and we all sat on the rocks chatting and enjoying the afternoon sun and the gorgeous rock formations in front of us.
Just before the sun set Gadi set up the satellite - with the dish perched up on the rocks - with success this time finally.
Made a BBQ dinner of steak and sweet potato on the gas BBQ provided and sat watching the fantastic colours of the setting sun in the rock while enjoying some Ceduna oysters with a delicious glass of Swan Valley Chenin Blanc.
We ate outside watching the sun set before it got too dark and then we moved inside our little home on wheels. Aside from my panic attack and meltdown earlier, we had a really lovely day.
Night night xx
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